Austrian Wine Buyer’s Guide: International Heroes & Rising Stars

By John Szabo, MS

The biennial Vievinum wine fair in Vienna is the largest gathering of Austrian wine producers from across the country. Wine writers, buyers and sommeliers from home and abroad descend on the city for a weekend of masterclasses, meetings and of course tastings, held in the magnificent Hofburg Palace in the heart of the city.

As much as I love wandering through the Hofburg and re-connecting with winemakers to taste new vintages and catch up on the latest, or discovering a few new producers, it’s not an ideal set-up for a wine hack to write up proper and considered written reviews, it’s more of a sketch rather than a finished work.  For me, the most enriching part of the event happens the day before: a formal seated tasting of around 100 curated Austrian wines, served by a brigade of sommeliers pouring flights to your rhythm. Each year this tasting is focused on a different theme, and in 2024, the inspiration was “International Heroes & Rising Stars”.

The International Heroes were, “wines that have achieved the highest awards at international competitions”, according to the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, the organizers of Vievinum and the entity responsible for the selections. And these top-rated wines were complemented by the new category of “Rising Stars”, which is, as the title implies, “a curated selection of wines from emerging wineries from all Austrian winegrowing regions, alternative wine styles, and new discoveries”.

As in previous editions, the selections were consistently excellent, and in this case provided an excellent opportunity to calmly taste some of the finest wines in the country alongside a future generation of stars (and some who might just remain in the experimental or alternative categories).

See all of the wines that were included in the tasting here.

See all of my reviews here: John’s Vievinum 2024

Buyer’s Guide: Austria’s International Heroes & Rising Stars

Below are my top picks out of about 100 reviews from this tasting, with a few others from seated masterclasses sprinkled in that clearly merit inclusion in the International Heroes category. Buys these wines wherever you can find them!

Related Articles: Austrian Report 2024 and Buyer’s Guide of Austrian Wines currently in the Ontario market.

Jump to:
Sparkling
Blaufränkisch
Red Blends
Grüner Veltliner
Riesling
Sauvignon Blanc
White Field Blends
Other Whites

Sparkling

94 Schödl Family Brut Nature NV Österreich   
Beautiful aromatics here, toasty, yeasty, brioche and blanched almonds, and white chocolate in the classic Traditional method style, delicate and refined. The palate is bone dry and brisk yet not shrill,  with very fine bubbles and  an intriguing tonic twist on the long finish. Fine bubbles. A blend of Chardonnay and Weißburgunder.

93 Loimer Brut Nature Große Reserve 2014 Niederösterreich   
Clean, open and maturing nicely, Loimer’s 2014 Brut nature is still very lively on the palate with a dense dose of stoney-wet limestone flavours, crystallized lime and blond caramel. Acids are taut and bright and bubbles are very fine. Length is excellent. A blend of Chardonnay, Weißburgunder, and Grauburgunder.

92 A-Nobis Sektkellerei N. Szigeti Grande Cuvée Extra Brut 2013 Österreich   
Mature and toasty blend of Chardonnay, and Blauburgunder, like wheat bread and blond caramel, mature but still lively, offering caramelized/crystallized lime-lemon fruit, and candied cherry. Palate is bone dry as advertised, crisp and lively, with fine bubbles and very good length. Good bubbles. Tasted May 2024.

Blaufränkisch

96 Dorhli Muhr 2019 Carnuntum DAC 1ÖTW Obere Spitzer
The Spitzerberg is the easternmost hillside of Carnumtum, in fact belonging geologically to the Carpathian mountains. it’s a very windy site – the only place on the European continent with no mountains separating north and south. Sandy limestones predominate, very dry with low water retention, but the truth is in the details – Muhr subdivides and bottles up to four micro-parcels of the Spitzerberg, here called the Oberer Spitzer (“Upper Spitzer”) from the western side of the hill near the forested crest, the top wine of the four according to her. This sample was poured from magnum and double decanted. It appears to be maturing slowly, with lovely, spicy, stemmy, floral blaufränkish character, and very fine, silky tannins. I love the spicy flavours and silky texture. Lovely, fine detailed wine. 30% whole bunch, foot trodden. Pressed off just after fermentation begins, aged in neutral 600l casks, 30 months. 800 bottles made. A leading estate to be sure.

93 Kolfok 2018 Burgenland Ried Neckenmarkter Bodigraben
Lots of fantasy here, with loads of fruit, ripe and dark fruit, and no evident wood influence, or very minimal. Great length, juicy and savoury, very lively and full of life, on the edge of earth-funky but in really good shape. Fine length, and fine wine overall.

92 Triebaumer Ernst 2021 Burgenland Ried Ruster Mariental
Triebaumer’s top blaufränkisch, the 2021 Marienthal is still closed and tight on the nose, tightly wound on the palate, with notable wood that still needs time to integrate. Tart red cherry and old wood spice lead. Try again after 2026.

92 Philipp Grassl 2015 Carnuntum DAC 1ÖTW Ried Bärnreiser
I like the savour on offer, the lightly desiccated red and black fruit, the sleek palate, silky tannins, lightly cedary character but high complexity. Very good length, too. An original and authentically ‘Austrian’ expression of blaufränkisch.

91 Wachter Wiesler 2020 Eisenberg DAC Reserve Ried Ratschen
Light, juicy, cherry-juice-inflected, tart and zesty, with medium body and succulent, saliva-inducing qualities. Good length. Ticks multiple boxes is a lighter, juicier style, very post-modern.

91 Teferner 2015 Carnuntum DAC 1ÖTW Ried Haidacker Excalibur
Stylish oak. Ripe black fruit, still intact. Tannins are polished, texture is smooth and gently grippy. Very good length. Good wine.

Red Blends

93 Artner 2019 Carnuntum DAC 1ÖTW Ried Aubülh
Medium-deep purple-red colour, lively, fresh juicy dark fruit flavours – these 2019s are really showing well. Acids are vibrant and lively, and length is excellent. Really like this, and Aubülh is clearly a superior site.

92 Franz and Christine Netzl 2015 Carnuntum DAC 1ÖTW Ried Bärnreiser Anna Christina
Juicy, lively, ageing well and slowly I’d say. Sleek tannins and succulent acids, very good length. Worth a look. A blend of zweigelt, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon.

92 Michael Auer 2019 Carnuntum DAC 1ÖTW Ried Aubülh
A blend of Blaufränkisch, Sankt Laurent and Cabernet Sauvignon from the southeast facing Aubülh vineyard , providing for elegant but powerful wines. The nose is shy, but the palate picks up the fruit intensity, framed by juicy acids. Fruit is intact, and length is very good. I like the vibrancy and the fine grained texture. Length is very good to excellent. Solid wine, drinking beautifully now.  Tasted

91 Gerhard Markowitsch 2015 Carnuntum DAC 1ÖTW Ried Rosenberg
The Rosenberg vineyard in the village of Höflein features Danube gravels over clays, loams and marls; the name itself refers to this place where only bushes and grasses would grow, one of the warmest of the premier cru vineyards, though forests above serve to temper the heat somewhat. It’s a fine and savoury red, maturing and offering dried mushroom-porcini, roasted herbal flavours. Tannins are fine and dusty and length is excellent. Fine wine, drinking now or continue to hold short term – not a great deal more to gain I feel, though certainly not tired.

Grüner Veltliner

97 Rudi Pichler 2022 Wachau DAC Smaragd Ried Achleiten
Gorgeous, stony, pure and driving grüner from the famous Achleiten vineyard, still tight and reserved, but showing ample power and depth on the palate to ensure positive development. I love the creamy-fresh texture and the exceptional depth of flavour – such purity as well. White-fleshed fruit leads, pear purée, with a squeeze of citrus, dripping with water-soaked stones and sweet hay and grass. Exceptional length. A monumental wine, best from 2027 and on into the late-’30s or ’40s.

95 Jurtschitsch 2021 Kamptal DAC Ried Lamm 1ÖTW
Lovely clean, stony, gently vegetal in the varietal idiom, legumes and hay, sweet grass and yellow stone fruit – complexity stretches far past the mean. The palate is dry and firm, properly tightly wound, so very lively and fresh, moving slowly and very positively. Excellent length. Top notch Kamptal from this celebrated vineyard, best now-2033 or so.

94 Malat 2021 Kremstal DAC Ried Further Gottschelle 1ÖTW
Attractive, maturing, crystallized-caramelized citrus fruit flavours dominate alongside uncommonly floral notes for GV, yellow meadow flowers and camomile, saffron and lemon thyme flowers. The palate is well balanced with tight acids and excellent flavour development, framed by crunchy-zesty acids. It’s a particularly stony-mineral GV the way we like them, yet also generous – complexity is excellent. A terrific success from Malat. Best now for the youthful exuberance, but cellar into the mid-30s without concern.

94 Leindl 2021 Kamptal DAC Ried Langenloiser Seeberg 1ÖTW
Pleasant and inviting, classic varietal GV aromatics here, from legumes to parsnip, sweet green herbs to citrus – there’s significant complexity on offer in the classic, textbook register. I love the broad and mouthfilling palate, with a vague sensation of sweetness from 14% declared. Excellent length and depth. An excellent wine to be sure, drinking now, or hold into the 30s – loads of stuffing.

93 Domäne Wachau 2022 Wachau DAC Smaragd Ried Achleiten Weißenkirchen
Properly reserved and stony in the Achleiten vineyard style, the excellent Domäne Wachau cooperative has released a lovely 2022 grüner, ripe (smaragd) at 14% alcohol, yet balanced by terrifically salty acids. Drive and density are excellent. Citrus and white fruit lead; clean and pure. Try after 2026.

93 Prager 2021 Wachau DAC Smaragd Ried Achleiten
Reserved and stony with limited fruit expression for now, but also very much in the Achleiten vineyard style, mineral forward and fruit backwards, hinting at lemon-citrus. The palate reveals more fruit, shifting into yellow-fleshed orchard flavours, with a vague impression of sweetness, in part from generous 14% alcohol, and perhaps a couple of grams or residual sugar. Excellent length. A big and powerful GV all in all, quite warm on the palate, best after 2026.

93 Ott Bernhard 2021 Wagram DAC 1ÖTW Ried Rosenberg Feuersbrunn
Rosenberg, one of the top single parcels in leading Wagram producer Bernhard Ott’s range, was planted in 1956 in 100% pure löss with up to 30% active calcium carbonate. It’s aged in 5000-7000 liter casks over two winters before bottling, like all of the cru wines. The ’21 is a lovely pure, lightly lactic, open and engaging GV; I like the open nature, the pure white-fleshed orchard fruit with a bit of bruising creeping into the fruit, but there’s no rush here as this just expands the range of flavours. Blond caramel and white chocolate autolytic flavours emerge on the finish, so perhaps not a wine for extending cellaring in the final analysis. Excellent length.

92 Nikolaihof 2017 Wachau DAC Im Weingebirge  
Maturing but still very vibrant, terrific, mouth salivating acids. Always worth a look. 

92 Dockner Tom 2021 Traisental DAC 1ÖTW Ried Neusiedler Hochschopf
Hochschopf is the top wine in the Dockner range, the most complete and complex made from 65-75 year-old vines on southeast-facing terraces of löss over conglomerate rock. It’s fermented in 2000l wood casks, and delivers clean, still bright and tight, lightly vegetal character from this cooler micro climate vineyard, with tart citrus fruit and sweet green herbs, flower stems and legumes underlying. The palate is mid-weight, dry with high flavour intensity and very good length. Well-made from a good site, drinking now but no rush.

91 Muthenthaler Martin 2022 Wachau DAC Ried Schön Vießling
A youthful grüner veltliner from one of the coolest vineyards in the Wachau far up the Spitz Valley, this is nonetheless a fruity and ripe example, at this stage with moderate complexity, barely out of the gates. The palate is bright, lean, dry, with very good length. Solid but not the most riveting wine from Muthenthaler in my experience. Best after 2026. Tasted May 2024.

Riesling

97 Nigl 2019 Kremstal DAC Reid Hohäcker Privat
The Hohäcker vineyard is a steep, terraced south-southeast facing site, protected to the north by the Waldvirtel (Forest Quarter”). All stainless. Pure, clean, driving, precise, all white and yellow-fleshed orchard fruit, floral-jasmine, lemon verbena. Terrific vibrancy and flavour density on the palate, such a glorious wine, magnificent length and complexity. An absolute stunner. Drink or continue to hold into the ’30s and likely even ’40s without concern. 

96 Alzinger 2022 Wachau DAC Smaragd Ried Loibener Loibenberg
Lovely, minerally-stony, pure citrus character leads  off the top, a magnificent wine from Alzinger, impressively tight and fresh from the warm 2022 vintage and the relatively warm Loibenberg vineyard, a testament to balanced farming. It’s a wine built on finesse and precision, with terrific length. Succulent, saline, stony the way they should be.

96 Knoll 2022 Wachau DAC Smaragd Ried Loibener Loibenberg
Reserved and still tightly wound with a lick of sulfur noted off the top, Knoll’s 2022 Loibenberg riesling is still years away from prime enjoyment. The truth is on the palate, offering exceptional density and concentration of flavours, candied orange-citrus-lemon and sweet green herbs, not yet into the age of flowers, essentially dry but with a full, round generous mouthfeel, framed by riveting acids. Length and depth are nothing short of exemplary.  A magnificent success from 2022, and a stunning wine full stop.

96 Salomon Undhof 2021 Kremstal DAC Ried Pfaffenberg 1ÖTW Alte Reben
Lovely, open, pure, floral example of riesling, with a lovely mix of citrus and white flowers, jasmine and lilies, a classic expression with genuine old vine concentration and density, and complexity. The palate is broad, densely packed with flavour, generous and warm with 14% alcohol – a real mouthful of wine. Length is excellent. Attractive now, but surely better after 2026, or hold late in to the ’30s. beautiful wine.

96 Schloss Gobelsburg 2021 Kamptal DAC Ried Zöbinger Heiligenstein 1ÖTW
Ripe and lifted with a touch of saffron alongside sweet green herbs, slightly candied citrus fruit, a very tonic and botanical example. The palate is warm and broad, mouthfilling, with 14% alcohol declared, with evident density and concentration. Excellent length. Broad shouldered, structured, with serious longevity no doubt. Exceptional wine, best from now, on the fruit, or hold into the mid-’30s.

95 Hirtzberger Smaragd 2022 Wachau DAC Ried Spitzer Steinporz
Hirtzberger’s 2022 Spitzer Steinporz vineyard riesling comes off as an exotic, late harvest wine, dripping with ripe peach and apricot flavours, apple blossoms and jasmine, so pretty and engaging. The palate is dry and broad, deeply concentrated with fine balance between ripe acids and relatively modest alcohol at 13% declared. Length is excellent. This has the power and stuffing to go far – I would cellar until at least 2026, or hold late into the ’30s.

95 Geyerhof 2021 Niederösterreich Ried Hollenburger Goldberg
Here’s a wine in the pure, open, natural style, clean and billowing with white and yellow fleshed orchard fruit, and creamy, lemon yoghurt notes, immediately inviting. The palate is off-dry and round, velvety, enveloping and warm with 14% alcohol declared. Length is excellent. A remarkable ‘natural’ wine, biodynamically farmed, clean and absolutely delicious.

94 Jamek 2021 Wachau DAC Smaragd Ried Klaus Weißenkirchen
Nicely restrained on the nose, reserved for now, yet the palate reveals a wine of significant substance and even some phenolic drag – a lightly dusty astringency accentuated by riveting acids. Alcohol warms the palate at 14% declared though it doesn’t feel heavy or fat – acids really streamline the back end. I’d love to see this in another 3-4 years – it should age magnificently.

94 Eichinger Birgit 2021 Kamptal DAC Ried Zöbinger Heiligenstein 1ÖTW
Lovely aromatics here: ripe but fresh, developing slowly, featuring juicy Amalfi lemon and apricot, peach and orange peel in a bracing and tonic expression, open and inviting yet still nicely contained. Acids are riveting and the palate is dry and citric, drawing saliva on the long back end. Top notch wine from this excellent vineyard, so stony and pure, unrelenting with wave after wave of flavour.

94 Huber Markus 2021 Traisental DAC Reserve Ried Getzersdorfer Berg 1ÖTW
Berg is the steepest vineyard in the Traisental, with up to 40% slopes, east facing, forested on the top, with reddish, iron and manganese-rich Dolomitic limestone soils and the oldest of the 30 parcels in the Huber holdings. Shade comes early on here, making this the latest of the cru sites, leading to long hang time and low sugar levels. The ’21 has gorgeous aromatics, precise and tight, with palpable astringency on the palate, compact and firm. Acids are excellent, citric and saliva-inducing, and length is terrific. Sharp, tight, stony and vibrant; drink 2025-2035++.

93 Hirsch 2021 Kamptal DAC 1ÖTW Ried Zöbinger Gaisberg 
Still closed with fruit suppressed it seems by a whiff of sulfur/acetic – something nose tingling – be sure to give this some air, a carafing or serve in large glasses if opening now. Fruit underneath is ripe and in the yellow spectrum, yellow plum, white cherry, cherry blossom, while acids are tart-sharp on the palate, a little green I have to say, counterbalancing a vague impression of sweetness. Finish is long and citric. A bit of a severe expression, if still excellent, in the final analysis – cellar another 2-3 years minimum to bring into a more comfortable spot.

92 Hirtzberger Mathias Weinhofmeisterei 2022 Wachau DAC Smaragd Ried Jochinger Kollmitz
Lovely aromatics lead, engaging, perfumed, featuring fresh green fruit, grilled pineapple, sun-drenched apricot and peach, all comfortably in the smaragd riesling style. Dry, tropical-fruit laden palate, even slipping into passion fruit and unusual thiols for riesling, reminiscent of sauvignon. It will appeal widely no doubt with its exotic flavours, product of the hot 2022 vintage but perhaps outside of the classics.

91 Gritsch FJ 2021 Wachau DAC   
Exotic, just starting to develop some bottle ageing aromas but still markedly youthful, I like the caramelized lime and cherry aromatics, ripe and arresting, almost late harvest-like. Alcohol warms the palate (14% declared), while notable residual sugar gives marked sweetness. I find it a little heavy in the end, concentrated to be sure but more of a late harvest style – served chilled to temper the alcohol and sweetness. 

91 Allram 2022 Kamptal DAC 1ÖTW Ried Zöbinger Heiligenstein 
Youthful and tightly wound, with hard acids and a touch of phenolic drag on the palate – tastes like stressed grapes, certainly concentrated but with flavour and phenolic maturity lagging behind. It’s not comfortable now, but try again in 2-3 years, allowing time for the tannins to integrate.

Sauvignon Blanc

96 Polz 2021 Südsteiermark DAC STK Grosse Lage Ried Hochgrassniztberg
Mainly calcareous materials. Discreet aromatics with little sauvignon varietal character, more of an expression of Styria. Bright lemon, white primary fruit over wet stones. Tightly wrapped with an energetic core of acids, with tension and depth, and exceptional length. Origin fortissimo, terroir crescendo.

95 Gross 2020 Südsteiermark DAC STK Grosse Lage Ried Nussberg Preschnigg
Soils are composed of calcareous marls and limestones, called locally “opok”, with a few seams of volcanic tuff. Wild ferments in 600l cask, 48 months ageing. Attractive reduction here, cool smoke and flint, more citric than tropical, with cool green herbs. Succulent acids and some phenolic drag. excellent length and depth – a superb wine.

95 Sattlerhof 2021 Südsteiermark DAC STK Grosse Lage Ried Alter Kranachberg
From the historic part of the Kranachberg, stainless steel exclusively, spontaneous fermentation, this is a very pretty wine, fresh, citric and chivy, with lean, lively, pure palate and excellent length. A refined and sophisticated wine. Reduction nailed perfectly.

94 Lackner-Tinnacher 2021 Südsteiermark DAC STK Grosse Lage Ried Welles 
In family ownership since 1937, the Welles vineyard is Lackner-Tinnacher’s top bottling, planted in the same year. Like many in Styria, it’s a frighteningly steep site exposed to the wind, at 450-510 meters above sea level. Soils are predominantly gravels of alpine origin . The 2021 is a cool, tonic, citrus peel and fresh chive flavoured wine, while the palate is broad and round, creamy-sharp, with excellent length; alcohol is a generous and warming 14% declared, heating up the back end. Finely detailed, precise, with exceptional depth and length all in all; some acetic is creeping in, so I’d drink over the nearer term, 2-3 years. It will appeal to fans of natural wine (certified biodynamic).

94 Frauwallner Straden 2019 Vulkanland Steiermark DAC STK Grosse Lage Ried Buch
Here’s a maturing, very ripe and forward sauvignon with some oak influence that recalls warmer climate examples, creamy and round, sweet basil and cherry stone notes, high quality wood and excellent length. Acids support the ensemble admirably, and length is excellent. Top notch in the 2019 style, drinking beautifully now.

94 E. Sabathi 2021 Südsteiermark DAC STK Grosse Lage Ried Pössnitzberg Alte Reben
Pössnitzberg is the southern-most grand cru in Styria, and a very steep vineyard to be sure, Sabathi’s ’21 offers reserved aromatics at them moment, showing little fruit initially, and more herbal-fennel-green notes with no wood evident. I like the compact, tight palate, the zesty acids, the long, subtle, refined finish. An elegant wine, still very youthful, at least another couple of years away from prime enjoyment, but it will be a beauty.

94 Winkler-Hermaden 2019 Vulkanland Steiermark DAC STK Grosse Lage Ried Kirchleiten
Grown on volcanic tuff beneath the Kapfenstein castle, Winkler-Hermaden’s ’21 Kirchleiten is an open and oxidative expression in the house style (a natural wine producer), with a lick of acetic, but still intact. The palate is fluid and soft, ripe, billowing with ripe fruit verging on tropical, with notable salinity – indeed this is the saltiest of a large range of sauvignons from Styria tasted alongside this. Length is very good to excellent. Nicely done.

93 Wohlmuth 2021 Südsteiermark DAC Ried Hochsteinriegl
A properly subdued and reserved sauvignon from the steep, high elevation, slate-based vineyards of the northern sector of south Styria, Wolmuth’s Hochsteinriegl is still very pale, showing little evolution either in the colour or aromatic development, just a touch of thiols – faint guava-passion fruit- flavours. The palate is firm and tight, with great acids and fine salinity. Excellent length. Properly, tightly wound. Best 2025-2031 or so.

93 Tschermonegg 2020 Südsteiermark DAC Ried Lubekogel
Fresh, green, citrus and chives, tarragon and other botanicals on display give this a real tonic quality, mingling with sweet honeydew melon and kiwi flavours. The palate is broad and concentrated, with above average density and depth, intensity and complexity. A superior example to be sure. Best now-2030 for the fully mature expression.

93 Frauwallner 2019 Vulkanland Steiermark DAC STK Grosse Lage Ried Buch
From the village of Straden, the Ried Buch sits on an extinct volcano on pure basalt-derived soils surrounded by forest on three sides. It soaked on skins for three days, and pours a straw gold colour. Aromatics are intense and punchy showing loads of fruit, ripe and on the tropical side, while ageing in wood of which 30% was new, contributes nicely integrated spice notes. The palate is creamy, broad, round and powerful, with terrific length and depth and slightly smoky finish. Quality wine; drink or old until the end of the decade.

93 Maitz Wolfgang 2020 Südsteiermark DAC STK Grosse Lage Ried Hochstermetzerberg
From the southern part of southern Styria, the Hochstermetzerberg lies on particularly rocky and gravelly soils. 2020, the current vintage is bright and fruity, very citric and orange peel-flavoured, also green and tonic, botanical, with lemon verbena, sweet green herbs, It’s youthful and lively with tingling acids and long finish. I love the herbal character, and the gentle phenolic tug, and this despite the steep, south-facing slope and warm soils – the magic of the ’21 vintage.

93 Neumeister 2021 Vulkanland Steiermark DAC STK Grosse Lage Ried Morarfeitl
Medium straw colour. Spontaneous fermentation, flinty-smoky, with fruit tending towards the  yellow and orange spectrum, showing ripeness and evolution. A light touch of acetic lifts the fruit and darker spice, a highly volcanic expression in the end, and loaded with character.

92 Skoff Peter – Domäne Kranachberg 2021 Südsteiermark DAC Ried Kranachkogl Finum
Classic Styrian sauvignon character here with its chive and basil, and sweet green herb flavours tied in to citrus fruit and red pepper, a textbook regional expression from an excellent vintage. The palate is broad and ripe with a vague impression of sweetness – ripeness is pushed at 14% alcohol declared. A big, broad, bold style designed to impress. I’d like to see this in 2-3 years minimum – might as well push it all the way.

92 Neumeister 2021 Vulkanland Steiermark DAC STK Grosse Lage Ried Moarfeitl
Salty and gritty, firmly textured under sharp acids, a very volcanic example I have to say. Balance is intact, length is excellent. Distinctive stuff.

92 Krispel 2020 Vulkanland Steiermark DAC Ried Neusetzberg
Move past the light sulfur off the top to get to the sweet green herbs underneath; tart citrus fruit underlies in a display that shows very little/slow development. I like the tightness and the grittiness, not an easy and pretty wine, but a compelling and regionally accurate one I’d say.

92 Riegelnegg Olwitschhof 2018 Südsteiermark DAC  Ried Sernauberg
Maturing but proper Styrian Sauvignon Blanc here, featuring sweet green herbs, basil and chervil, (move past the SO2). Alcohol is warm at 14% declared and length is good. Bold, ripe, concentrated, serious wine, ready to enjoy or hold short term.

91 H. Sabathi 2021 Südsteiermark DAC STK Grosse Lage Ried Kranachberg Kreuz
From the sandy quartz-laced Kranachberg vineyard in Gamlitz, this sauvignon from Hannes Sabathi seems more of varietal expression, also leesy, woody, and flinty with notable reduction, and citrus, fresh chive and green onion, and gently toasted wood notes joining the fray. On the palate it’s open and accessible with a soft and round texture. Length and depth are good. Quality wine, if not my preferred style – elevage (lees) influence is heavy. Give it another year or two to come together.

White Field Blends

95 Wieninger 2021 Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC 1ÖTW Ried Ülm
Wieninger’s superlative Ülm vineyard Gemischter Satz is produced from 9 varieties interplanted on 3 ha: pinot blanc, neuberger, welschriesling, grüner veltliner, sylvaner, zierfandler, rotgipfler, traminer and riesling. All are harvested and fermented together (by law), and left overnight on skins before fermentation, then aged 20 months on lees, half in steel, half in large cask. This sample was double decanted an hour before serving, and it shows a lovely, expressive nose, with a mix of cherry stone, citrus blossom, sweet green herbs, and so much more in a beguiling and complex expression. The palate delivers massive concentration and density, supreme length, yet without heaviness. I like the gentle tannic drag, the concentration and salinity on the finish. This should stay in good shape late into the ’30s if you wanted to stretch it, though I’ll be drinking my bottles earlier.

94 Christ 2021 Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC Ried Wiesthalen
All of Rainer Christ’s vineyards are farmed without the use of chemical products, and wines are also vegan and histamine-free (measured). The Wiesenthalen vineyard is home to vines up to 85 years old, and their wine is aged 18 months in large cask. This ’21 may well be even better than the superb 2020, offering lovely and engaging aromatics, fruity-floral, savoury-fruity, with great balance and slow moving flavours. Excellent length. Top notch; drink or hold into the early-thirties.

Other Whites

94 Wagentristl 2022 Leithaberg DAC Pinot Blanc Ried Großhöfleiner Tatschler
Here’s a wine with proper, well-measured reduction, riding the line carefully and comfortably, with terrific acids and great length. This is a true wine lovers wine, so stony, so driving and pure. Terrific stuff.

94 Johanneshof Reinisch 2019 Thermenregion Zierfandler Ried Spiegel
Lovely, minerally nose here, reductive in the clever, appealing way, with mineral oil and lemon essence, sweet green herbs and more. Great depth and length with a vague impression of sweetness from 14% alcohol declared. Long finish. Top notch kit. Drink or hold until the end of the decade.

93 Lichtenberger González 2022 Leithaberg DAC Neuberger
A fairly rare Austrian neuburger from the Burgenland, stony-mineral, mineral oil-inflected, with green apple flavours, still very fresh two years in, and terrific appley acids and loads of stony character. it’s perhaps not the most complex expression, but a really delicious one, drinking well now. Well worth a look.

92 Prieler 2021 Leithaberg DAC Pinot Blanc Ried Steinweingarten
Intriguing, open, licorice and tarragon notes lead in an uncommon but compelling example of pinot blanc. Light wood influence, creamy lees, bright acids, slow development… there’s much to look forward to here. Moving very slowly. Enjoyable now, but better in 2-3 years to be sure.

That’s all for this special report. See you over the next bottle.

John Szabo, MS